Orlando, FL –Certified American Grown is proud to be the floral and foliage sponsor for the 53rd Annual Sylvia Cup Design Competition held by the Professional Floral Communicators International, during the annual convention of the Society of American Florists at the beginning of September 2022. This year’s competition saw 20 designers from throughout the United States work their artistry with domestic products to develop arrangements that met the whimsical theme elements of classic Dr. Seuss novels.
Certified American Grown, the floral and foliage sponsoring organization, works to promote and represent the interests of America’s cut flower and foliage farming families. In doing so this year’s designers took the bounty from across the United States, from Florida to Alaska and California to Maine, and created intricate and unique designs. The winner of this year’s competition is Kelsey Thompson, AIFD from Bloom Studio and Home Décor in Algona, Iowa.
“The theme this year for Sylvia Cup was very playful, and it truly did feel like I was playing with the gorgeous fresh product we received,” said Thompson. “You know how you see a flower and a lightbulb goes off? The shape of a stem, the color of a petal, or the slight curve of a leaf leads you down a design path... I let the flowers and story inspire me.”
Comprised of farm members from throughout the United States, flowers and foliage were provided by the following Certified American Grown farms:
- Alaska Perfect Peony
- Albin Hagstrom & Sons
- Continental Floral Greens
- Eufloria Flowers
- Fern Trust, Inc.
- Glad-A-Way Gardens
- Green Valley Floral
- Joseph & Sons
- Kendall Farms
- Len Busch Roses
- Mellano & Company
- Ocean Breeze Farms
- Pyramid Flowers
- Resendiz Brothers
- Sun Valley Farms
“We are incredibly excited to have talented from around the country work with American Grown flowers and foliage that truly showcase the beauty grown on our farms,” said Camron King, CEO, and Ambassador for Certified American Grown. “The annual Sylvia Cup Design Competition is an honor to be a part of and support and further highlights the ability to design with the bounty and wide palate of products raised here in the U.S.. The contestants fully utilized their talent and artistry and we congratulate all designers, but especially this year’s winner, Kelsey Thompson.”
Certified American Grown partners annually with the Professional Floral Communicators International (PFCI) to make the competition possible. “We are so grateful to the team and farms of Certified American Grown for their professional approach in fulfilling our wish list of fresh flowers, foliage, and grasses for this year’s Sylvia Cup Competition,” said Laurie Lemeck, PFCI, 2022 Sylvia Cup Chair. “It was so easy to work with the team and products we received for the competitors! We look forward to working with them again in the future!”
The 54th Annual Sylvia Cup Competition will be held in September 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona.